Top British diplomat to visit Iran

Director general of political affairs of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office is due to visit Iran.

Simon Gass will visit Iran on April 28 to talk with Iranian officials on mutual and international issues, Iran's Fars news agency reported on April 28.

Gass who heads the British delegation to P5+1 group, served as the UK Ambassador to Iran from 2009 to 2011.

On November 27, 2011, Iranian lawmakers voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic ties with the UK, in response to Britain's decision to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran over the allegation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Two days after the decision by Iran's parliament, hundreds of Iranian students staged a protest outside the British Embassy in Tehran and pulled down the UK flag.

On November 30 of the same year, London cut off its ties with Tehran, withdrew its diplomatic staff from Iran and the Iranian Embassy in London was closed.

In November 2013, Britain declared the decision to revive diplomatic ties with Iran by appointing a non-resident charge d'affaires.

British Prime Minister David Cameron also held a phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in the first such call between a UK premier and an Iranian president in more than a decade, and discussed, among other issues, the resumption of bilateral relations with the Iranian chief executive.